More often than not, charity is considered as supporting non-profit organisations through financial donations. But, today NGOs are making efforts to bring in a paradigm shift in the way people perceive charity. The non-profits are striving towards various creative and innovative ways to involve people and their talent for the greater good of the society. The word charity has gone beyond regular fund contribution. Now it taps the skill, time and willingness of people to do social good.
Here is an example of one such non-profit organisation. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an Indian NGO working towards implementation of the mid-day meal programme. Initiated in 2002, the Foundation operates in a Public-Private Partnership model. Agreeing to the significant role that monetary support has played in setting up of the entire organisation and sustaining the NGO over 14 years; Akshaya Patra is also equally grateful to all the support that it received in terms of knowledge sharing, employing skills and investing time for the benefit of underserved children. Weighing the importance of both financial and non-financial support Akshaya Patra has derived a volunteering platform for supporters from all walks of life. The volunteering platform of Akshaya Patra accommodates activities that can be easily executed by individual, group and also corporate supporters.
The Get Involved section of Akshaya Patra will introduce you to a wide array of volunteering activities to choose from. Some of them being as simple as sharing Facebook and Twitter posts and thereby becoming an online supporter! One can also utilise his or her passion for bike riding as a medium to spread awareness about Akshaya Patra’s cause. If you are a photographer, you can tell Akshaya Patra’s story through your lenses! If you are a writer then share about Akshaya Patra beneficiaries in your blog. A corporate can partner with Akshaya Patra as a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility initiative. An innovation firm can support the cause by providing innovative technological advice to the Foundation.
Akshaya Patra welcomes social collaboration from each citizen. Let’s take this opportunity to give a new meaning to charity.
